What is Age?
by XbuttonsX
Summary: What does age matter when you fall in love?


**What Is Age?**

**Summary **- Axel was just like any other teenager. With some strange intrests; one being a blonde boy ten years his junior in the middle of Wal-Mart.

**Disclaimer** - Don't own Micky D's, Wal-Mart or the characters. Wish I did, but I don't.

**Warnings** - Mild Pedophilia, hinted boyxboy

**Pairing **- hinted AkuRoku, hinted onesided LarxeneAxel

Axel was just your regular, run-of-the-mill punk-rock teenager. He liked to just hang out, playing video-games, drinking energy drinks and pulling all-nighters with his best friend. He didn't have a criminal record, although anyone that looked at him would suspect he had been in juvy at least once, with his teardrop tattoos and ruby-red, spiked-up, mid-shoulder-length hair.

Just a regular teen. Who was known as the biggest flirt on the face of the earth at school. With a single bat of perfect eyelashes, women and men alike felt a burning in their heart. But Axel was a fairly reserved person, only relying on his drop-dead-gorgeous looks when he wanted something.

He and his best friend also liked to hang out at Wal-Mart, where they resided on this day. "Axel," Demyx, the redhead's bizarre best friend, whined, gripping at the elder teen's sleeve as though he were two and vying for his mother's attention. "I'm hungry! Let's go to McDonalds!"

Axel sighed, rolling his head back to gaze up at the checkered ceiling. "That place serves crap."

"It's better than nothing! C'mon! My_ treat_."

"If I puke, I blame you."

"It's not that bad, you whiner!"

"Least I don't have a rat's nest on my head."

Demyx rolled aquamarine eyes, starting to drag his best friend toward the giant 'Golden Arches' that symbolized the dreaded fast food store. "Hey, it is _not_ a rat's nest, thank you very much," he stated proudly, puffing his chest out slightly in indignation. "It is a combination of the two most famous hairstyles through the ages; the Mohawk and the mullet. And ... Are you even listening to me, Axel?"

"Huh, wha? Oh, uh, yeah, yeah, I guess. Afro, yeah."

The blonde gaped at his elder friend. "What?"

"Look at that kid. Isn't that a cute kid? I want that kid. He's a cute kid. Can we have that kid, Dem?"

"What? Axe, are you sure you haven't done crack behind my back?"

"No, just look at the kid! Quick, before he goes back to his momma!"

With another roll of the eyes, Demyx gazed where Axel's long, pointed finger showed and saw the small, spiky-haired blonde that was poking at the pile of clothes he held in his arms. His cerulean eyes were gazing at the women's clothes he had been forced into holding while waiting for the one who wanted the clothes to come back from trying another load on in the changing rooms. Glancing around nervously, his cheeks brightened to a dusting of pink when he noticed the two teenagers ogling at him.

"Y-Yeah," Demyx muttered, enraptured by the small boy. "He is. Axel, where the heck are you going?! Get back here! Axel!" The redhead began moving towards the small blonde with his most confident strut and a reassuring smirk on his perfected lips. A quick wink back at Demyx told the elder blonde to follow him which Demyx did reluctantly, groaning a bit. _Why do I put up with this jerk?_ He asked himself, giving an internal face/palm.

"Hey kid. What's your name?"

The small blonde jumped at the hand that rested on his shoulder, looking up into emerald orbs. "My Momma told me never to talk to strangers," he replied defiantly, playing with the clothes that hung on his arms.

"My name's Axel. He's Demyx. Now we aren't strangers."

"I-I guess."

"Then what's your name?"

The little boy gazed at the ground, contemplating whether he should run or keep quiet or break down and tell this stranger his name. He didn't see the harm in it. It was just his name. "Roxas," Roxas supplied finally.

"Okay, Rox-as, I'll commit that to memory. You're an adorable kid. How old are you?"

Demyx broke in. "Axel, I don't think this is such a good idea. What if we get in trouble?"

"For what? We're not hurting him. Are we hurting you, Rox-as?" Roxas shook his head, his blonde spikes swinging with the motion. "See. We aren't hurting him. Tell ya' what, then, Dem. Why don't we meet you later, okay? Go order for the three of us."

"Axel ..."

"Just do it, Dem. Please?"

"Ugh, fine, but if we go to jail I'm saying I was forced."

Turning back to the small blonde in front of him as Demyx bustled off, Axel smiled warmly. "You look really bored standing here all by yourself. Why don't you come with me and Demyx and we can all get lunch together? How does that sound?"

"But ... my sister ... she told me to 'stay right here and don't move'."

"Aww, that's too bad, Rox-as. You look so _bored_ and hungry. Do you like McDonalds?"

"Yeah. The happy meals are really good!"

"Then, come with me and we can go get you a happy meal. Would you like that, Rox-as?"

Roxas nodded slightly, but shot a glance back to the changing rooms. "But my sister..."

"She'll be here when we get back."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Okay." Roxas just dropped the armload of clothes where he stood and moved closer to Axel.

"Would you like to take my hand?"

"I'm not two."

"How old _are_ you, Rox?"

"Seven and a half," he stated proudly, gripping Axel's outstretched hand despite himself. The redhead beamed happily, heading towards those 'Golden Arches' once more, now with a small blonde whose spiky little head only reached up to his hip.

"You look so grown up, though, Rox-as. Are you sure you're only seven?" Axel inquired, feeling a small something drop in his stomach.

"Seven and a half. The half is very ... important? Is that the word? My dad..."

Axel couldn't help but let his thoughts wander. He was just taking the kid out to lunch. So why did he feel so guilty? Maybe because there was a ten year difference between the two. Maybe because he knew that he wouldn't be able to just say he was taking him to lunch if he _did_ get in trouble. He knew that the authorities were stubborn from what his elder brother had told him after his many run-ins with the law. Roxas' voice brought him back from his thoughts.

"... calls me his 'little man' and my teachers say that I act more grown up than the rest of the class," Roxas declared happily, a large grin on his face, his fingers tightening around Axel's in joy.

"You're real cute, Rox-as."

"Really? Larxene, my sister, always says that I'm ugly and should just go drown myself in the toilet. What does that mean, Axel? What does 'drown' mean?"

Axel gaped at the small blonde. "L-Larxene? You're sister's name is Larxene? Is she graduating this year?"

"Grad ... graduate... graduating? What's that?"

"Um, is she all done school?"

Roxas nodded sadly. "Almost. In June, she said. She's all happy about it. My parents are too. Why?"

"Uh, just wondering. I have a girl in my class named Larxene."

"Oh."

"Do you go to school, Rox?" Axel asked hastily, getting off the subject of Roxas' sister.

"Yup. Going into grade four in September."

"Wow, really? Bet you're really smart, aren't you?"

"Yeah," the blonde beamed happily.

"Hey, Axel, over here!" Demyx called from a booth at the far end of the restaurant, two trays in front of him. "I hope it's okay, but I got him a happy meal and got us two Big Macs."

"Yes, thank you, Dem. Here Rox, you can sit here, okay? Right beside me. Scooch in there. Okay, there ya' go." Axel smiled happily, sliding in beside the blonde. "Hey Dem, take a guess who his sister is."

"I don't even want to know. I just want to eat and get out of here."

"Oh, you big ol' worry-wart! It'll be okay."

"Axel, you've kidnapped a little kid. How is that okay?"

"I wasn't kidnapped! You guys haven't hurt me so I haven't been kidnapped!" Roxas piped up, coming to Axel's defense.

"Just eat your fries," Demyx snapped, grabbing his burger in his hands, glaring heatedly at it as though it had wronged him in some way. Roxas pouted, gazing sadly at his fries and chicken nuggets. Axel placed his hand on top of Roxas' spikes and ruffled them.

"It's alright, pal. Demyx is just grumpy because he's mad at me," the redhead comforted, gaining a swift kick to the kneecap from the blonde sitting across from him. Emerald locked with aquamarine for a moment before Axel looked back down at Roxas who was eating quietly.

Ten minutes of idle chatter passed between the three, Demyx slowly opening up and excepting the young blonde, Axel finding him more and more adorable by the moment. Just as he finished the last bite of his dissatisfying burger, Axel's ears perked to the sound of a female voice.

"My brother. Has anyone seen my little brother? He's a little runt with spiky blonde hair and blue eyes! Please, has anyone seen my brother?"

"Lar-"

"Shh, Rox. Just sit down, okay? Finish your fries. That's a good kid." Axel ordered softly, gripping the small blonde's shoulder as he attempted to stand. When Axel removed his hand from Roxas' shoulder, a disheveled blonde woman with odd, alien-antenna bangs sticking up from her greased back hair came around a corner, panic written clearly on her features.

"Roxas! Are you in here?! Roxas!"

Demyx glared at his best friend. "His sister is the Wicked Witch of the West?"

Axel shrugged, uncaring. "I tried to tell ya'. Dem, what are you doing?! Turn around! Where are you going?!"

"Larxene, c'mere."

"Ugh, I don't have time for you, nimrod. Can't you tell that I'm a little busy right now?" she snapped at the blonde teen. Demyx shrugged.

"Fine, guess you don't want to find your brother, then." He turned and moved back to his seat, away from the fiery woman. Larxene glared at him, but noticed the red spikes from the top of the booth that Demyx had just sat back down at. Through her panic, her heart swelled a little at the sight.

She followed the younger blonde and didn't even notice the boy sitting beside the redhead as she took him in. "H-Hi, Axel. Y-You haven't ... seen my ... b-brother ... have you?"

Axel rolled his eyes, knowing about Larxene's obvious crush on him. He leaned back in his seat, smirking slightly. "I ... Might have a vague idea. Stop staring at me and maybe you might find him on your own." Allowing a small strand of his blood-red hair to shift in front of his left emerald orb in a very 'sexy' manor, Axel held the girl's attention for at least another ten seconds before she could take in the glaring cerulean beside him.

"Roxas!" She gasped before narrowing her jade-green eyes to slits. "Get out here right now! We're going home. Thank you for finding him, Axel. How can I repay you?"

"I'm not going home with you! I like it here! These guys are cool! They treat me nice!"

"And, Lark, I'll just tell you now. I wasn't the one that found him. Less you count finding him all alone in the aisle waiting for _you_ to care for someone other than yourself. I brought him here. Mind you, I didn't think something so _adorable_ would be in any relation to you."

Axel could visibly see Larxene's heart shatter. "You love my brother more than me?! How is that possible?! Ugh, Roxas, I hate you! Come, now. We're going home right this instant."

"No."

"Right now, or you'll get a beating."

Roxas flinched but held fast. "No. I don't wanna go anywhere with you. You don't treat me nice. Axel does. Leave me alone."

"Of course I don't 'treat you nice'. You're a spoiled little brat! Now, come on! I'll tell Mom and Dad about what you did today."

"And you'll get in trouble for not keeping an eye on me."

Axel slid from his seat, grabbing Roxas softly by the wrists and pulling him out to stand. When those cerulean orbs turned their glare up at him, Axel smirked, grabbing him under the arms and hoisting him up to stand on the seat. Even then, Axel was a head taller. The redhead wrapped long, slender arms around the boy, pulling him tight and digging his nose into those blonde strands of hair.

"I think you should go with your sister, Rox. Before she beats me up, okay? We can always hang out again some other time, alright? I'll stop by every once in a while. Take you out for ice cream or something. That sound okay?"

"No," Roxas pouted.

"Why not?"

Roxas let his arms wrap around the redhead's slender waist, digging his face into the crook of Axel's neck. "Cause you'll be like everyone else and promise that you will and then you won't. You'll be too busy or just won't want to."

"Aww, Lark, have you guys really been doing that to this little cutie?"

"Just get your hands off my brother, please."

"Not unless you answer first."

"It's my brother! Get off of him! He's seven."

"And a half. You gotta remember the half. It is very important to a kid."

"And you're seventeen."

"And a half. You gotta remember the half, Lark."

"Whatever. You're being a pedophile. I could go to the cops!"

"I'm giving the kid a hug. Is that illegal?"

"Yes."

"Don't help _her_, Dem! Help me!" Axel glared down at his blonde best friend who seemed to be fuming, crumpling his hands together in fists. Axel stuck his tongue out at his best friend, but began to pull away from the smallest blonde, only to find himself in a death grip. "Rox, it's all right. Here, look at me. No, just look at me. Back up. Let go. I'm not gonna disappear on ya', promise." The little blonde sniffled slightly, having worked himself easily into a small sob at the prospect of losing a friend he had just made.

"Th-There." he gazed up at Axel, cerulean melting into emerald.

"There," Axel beamed happily. "Now, listen." Roxas nodded. "How about we go out for ice cream every second Saturday after I get off of work, okay?"

"When's that?"

"At two o'clock."

"D-Do you promise?"

"Of course. I never go back on my word, Rox. I promise."

"O-Okay."

Larxene hummed behind Axel, tapping her foot in annoyance. Axel turned back to her, forcing the smiling blonde towards her. "Ugh, Axel, I can't believe you. He's a little brat! He doesn't deserve you!"

"I'm just being his friend, Lark."

"He needs friends his _own age_."

"What does age matter? I think you have a pretty cool little brother. Don't know where he got it from. You ain't got any of it."

Axel winked at Roxas as the jade-eyed girl teared up, her lower lip quivering, her nails biting into the young boy's shoulder. She slapped the redhead, the echo resounding through the silent fast-food place long after Larxene stormed off.

--

You can stop here because you will ... most likely say that the ending ruined it. If it wasn't already ruined. But, if you are saying "Oh my god, the age difference" think of you and dad. -.-

--

"Hey, um, Rox, you ready?"

"_No,_ Axel, I'm just gonna completely forget about the promise of ice cream."

"Hey, you brat! I've wasted a lot of cash on you over the years!"

The nineteen-year-old blonde smirked at the twenty-nine year old redhead standing in his doorway. Axel moved closer, pressing his lips to Roxas' forehead in his usual greeting. Roxas still blushed like a schoolgirl. "Okay, c'mon. You don't need to make a scene."

"Nah, leave that up to Lark." Roxas shuddered at the older male's joke, giving a small chuckle despite himself. "I don't feel like ice cream today."

"Oh really, now? What do you feel like, then?"

"McDonalds with a side of Roxas."

The blonde blushed once more, smiling wide. Because really, what does age matter when you're in love?

--

The End

--

Inspired by seeing a really cute kid in Wal-Mart. Just kinda popped into my head. I don't support pedophilia except in fanfics. Tell me what you thought, kay?

There's only lies, there's only fears, there's only pain - _No Love_

_Simple Plan_

~xbuttonsx~


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